Category Archives: Lentil Facts

It’s National Nutritious Month and guess what’s trending? Protein and The Mediterranean Diet. Take a look at this CBS News Special we found on The Mediterranean Diet. They discuss how it’s recommended to eat legumes at least 3 times a week to possibly help reduce heart disease, heart attacks and strokes.

Unsure how to cook lentils? Here’s how to prepare the world’s easiest lentils and make them perfectly delicious every time! Rule of Thumb: 2 cups of raw lentils will serve 4 people. 1. Rinse the lentils to remove any dirt or stones. 2. Place the Lentils in a large cooking pot. 3. Add 2 cups of water for every cup of lentils. 4. Add spices or salt if desired. 5. Simmer the lentils for 20-30 minutes, or until tender. Use your cooked lentils in any of our delicious Recipes!

After being regarded with suspicion during the Middle Ages, lentils regained popularity in 18th century France. The woman behind this trend was Marie Leszczynska, the Polish-born wife of Louis XV, who ruled from 1715 to 1774. Marie was the longest-serving queen consort of France and the mother of kings—and she had a penchant for lentils. Lentils soon became very popular among the royalty of France, and they were nicknamed “the queen’s lentils”.

Note: This post is part of a series. To read earlier posts, click here. In the course of the past week, our lentil plants have gone through a growth spurt! The plants are covered with green oval, shaped leaves and are quite tall. Last week, the lentil plants became too large to remain in the recycled salad container. We transplanted them into deep, roomy clay pots and watered them liberally.

Today, doctors and health professionals recognize the amazing superfood health benefits of Lentils, but in Medieval Times, Lentils were regarded with doubt and suspicion. Doctors of the Middle Ages taught that Lentils were difficult to digest, affected the sight, and even caused epilepsy and nightmares!

Note: This post is part of a series. To read earlier posts, click here. Our lentil plants are growing! This week, we watched tiny lentil sprouts become small, green seedlings. Follow these steps to plant your lentil sprouts: 1. Approximately one week after starting the lentil sprouts, remove the sprouts from the jar and spread them out. 2. Fill a flower pot or recycled plastic container with potting soil.

Welcome to another installment of Lentils Through History! Lentils were a very common food in two of the most famous civilizations of the ancient world: Greece and Rome. By 6,000 B.C., Lentils were cultivated in Classical Greece. Together, wheat, barley, and lentils were the agricultural staples of early Greek culture. Lentils were commonly enjoyed in a type of lentil soup called phake.

Do you know how lentils grow? Here at Mediterranean Snacks, we love lentils, but most of us have never seen or touched a lentil plant. Over the next few weeks, we will be learning about the development and nutritional benefits of lentils by growing lentil plants right here in the Mediterranean Snacks headquarters. Visit our blog each week for photos and updates!